Energy‐dependent collisional deactivation of vibrationally excited azulene

Aromatic and Acetylenic C-H or C-D Stretching Bands Anharmonicity Detection of Phenylacetylene by UV Laser-Induced Vibrational Emission

The anharmonic infrared (IR) emission spectra of phenylacetylene C₆H₅CCH and an isotopologue C₆H₅CCD induced by 193 nm UV excitation have been investigated in the gas phase. The study has been operated with a homemade IR spectrometer enabling to record time- and wavelength-resolved spectra between 2.5 and 4.5 μm, emitted all along the collisional cooling. The analysis is supported by a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation in the vibrational harmonic approximation. For both species, the anharmonic shifts of the acetylenic C-H or C-D stretching modes and the aromatic C-H stretching modes are studied for band positions and bandwidths in terms of the internal energy. For C₆H₅CCD, the internal energy dependence of the emission intensity band ratio is investigated and rationalized. This work demonstrates the potential of time-resolved IR emission spectroscopy to explore anharmonicity of astrophysically relevant molecules.

Energy Dependence of Ensemble-Averaged Energy Transfer Moments and Its Effect on Competing Decomposition Reactions

We carried out a direct dynamics study on the internal-energy dependence of the ensemble-averaged energy transfer moments of the isobutyl radical in collisions with N₂ bath gas. We find a linear dependence of the downward moment ⟨ΔE_d⟩ and the root-mean-square moment ⟨ΔE2⟩ on the initial internal energy, but the upward moment ⟨ΔE_u⟩ is found to be independent of the molecule's internal energy. We improved the exponential-down relaxation model by including a linear dependence of ⟨ΔE_d⟩ on the initial energy, and we used the improved treatment in the 1D master equation for isobutyl radical decomposition reactions and for a model of competitive reactions with a larger difference in barrier heights. We calculated phenomenological rate constants and branching ratios from chemically significant eigenmodes of the master equation and showed that the energy dependence of ⟨ΔE_d⟩ has a greater influence on channels with higher barriers in competitive reactions. Rate constants and branching ratios from master equation calculations indicate that for a given temperature and pressure, there is a constant ⟨ΔE_d⟩ that can reproduce results obtained with an E-dependent ⟨ΔE_d⟩. But a constant ⟨ΔE_d⟩ cannot do this for all temperatures and pressures, with larger differences when the barriers for the competing channels differ more. We conclude that when the branching ratio of competitive reactions is sensitive to pressure, including the energy dependence of ⟨ΔE_d⟩ in master equation simulations can make a significant difference in the results.

Collisional Intermolecular Energy Transfer from a N2 Bath at Room Temperature to a Vibrationlly "Cold" C6F6 Molecule Using Chemical Dynamics Simulations

Chemical dynamics simulations were performed to study collisional intermolecular energy transfer from a thermalized N₂ bath at 300 K to vibrationally "cold" C₆F₆. The vibrational temperature of C₆F₆ is taken as 50 K, which corresponds to a classical vibrational energy of 2.98 kcal/mol. The temperature ratio between C₆F₆ and the bath is 1/6, the reciprocal of the same ratio for previous "hot" C₆F₆ simulations (J. Chem. Phys. 2014, 140, 194103). Simulations were also done for a C₆F₆ vibrational temperature of 0 K. The average energy of C₆F₆ versus time is well fit by a biexponential function which gives a slightly larger short time rate component, k₁, but a four times smaller long time rate component, k₂, compared to those obtained from the "hot" C₆F₆ simulations. The average energy transferred per collision depends on the difference between the average energy of C₆F₆ and the final C₆F₆ energy after equilibration with the bath, but not on the temperature ratio of C₆F₆ and the bath. The translational and rotational degrees of freedom of the N₂ bath transfer their energies to the vibrational degrees of freedom of C₆F₆. The energies of the N₂ vibrational mode and translational and rotational modes of C₆F₆ remain unchanged during the energy transfer. It is also found that the energy distribution of C₆F₆ broadens as energy is transferred from the bath, with an almost linear increase in the deviation of the C₆F₆ energies from the average C₆F₆ energy as the average energy of C₆F₆ increases.

Chemical Dynamics Simulations of Intermolecular Energy Transfer: Azulene + N2 Collisions

Chemical dynamics simulations were performed to investigate collisional energy transfer from highly vibrationally excited azulene (Az*) in a N2 bath. The intermolecular potential between Az and N2, used for the simulations, was determined from MP2/6-31+G* ab initio calculations. Az* is prepared with an 87.5 kcal/mol excitation energy by using quantum microcanonical sampling, including its 95.7 kcal/mol zero-point energy. The average energy of Az* versus time, obtained from the simulations, shows different rates of Az* deactivation depending on the N2 bath density. Using the N2 bath density and Lennard-Jones collision number, the average energy transfer per collision ⟨ΔEc⟩ was obtained for Az* as it is collisionally relaxed. By comparing ⟨ΔEc⟩ versus the bath density, the single collision limiting density was found for energy transfer. The resulting ⟨ΔEc⟩, for an 87.5 kcal/mol excitation energy, is 0.30 ± 0.01 and 0.32 ± 0.01 kcal/mol for harmonic and anharmonic Az potentials, respectively. For comparison, the experimental value is 0.57 ± 0.11 kcal/mol. During Az* relaxation there is no appreciable energy transfer to Az translation and rotation, and the energy transfer is to the N2 bath.

Cooperative island growth of large-area single-crystal graphene on copper using chemical vapor deposition

In this work we explore the kinetics of single-crystal graphene growth as a function of nucleation density. In addition to the standard methods for suppressing nucleation of graphene by pretreatment of Cu foils using oxidation, annealing, and reduction of the Cu foils prior to growth, we introduce a new method that further reduces the graphene nucleation density by interacting directly with the growth process at the onset of nucleation. The successive application of these two methods results in roughly 3 orders of magnitude reduction in graphene nucleation density. We use a kinetic model to show that at vanishingly low nucleation densities carbon incorporation occurs by a cooperative island growth mechanism that favors the formation of substrate-size single-crystal graphene. The model reveals that the cooperative growth of millimeter-size single-crystal graphene grains occurs by roughly 3 orders of magnitude increase in the reactive sticking probability of methane compared to that in random island nucleation.

Energy transfer of highly vibrationally excited azulene. III. Collisions between azulene and argon

The energy transfer dynamics between highly vibrationally excited azulene molecules (37 582 cm(-1) internal energy) and Ar atoms in a series of collision energies (200, 492, 747, and 983 cm(-1)) was studied using a crossed-beam apparatus along with time-sliced velocity map ion imaging techniques. The angular resolved collisional energy-transfer probability distribution functions were measured directly from the scattering results of highly vibrationally excited azulene. Direct T-VR energy transfer was found to be quite efficient. In some instances, nearly all of the translational energy is transferred to vibrational/rotational energy. On the other hand, only a small fraction of vibrational energy is converted to translational energy (V-T). Significant amount of energy transfer from vibration to translation was observed at large collision energies in backward and sideway directions. The ratios of total cross sections between T-VR and V-T increases as collision energy increases. Formation of azulene-argon complexes during the collision was observed at low enough collision energies. The complexes make only minor contributions to the measured translational to vibrational/rotational (T-VR) energy transfer.

Energy transfer of highly vibrationally excited azulene. II. Photodissociation of azulene-Kr van der Waals clusters at 248 and 266 nm

Photodissociation of azulene-Kr van der Waals clusters at 266 and 248 nm was studied using velocity map ion imaging techniques with the time-sliced modification. Scattered azulene molecules produced from the dissociation of clusters were detected by one-photon vacuum ultraviolet ionization. Energy transfer distribution functions were obtained from the measurement of recoil energy distributions. The distribution functions can be described approximately by multiexponential functions. Fragment angular distributions were found to be isotropic. The energy transfer properties show significantly different behavior from those of bimolecular collisions. No supercollisions were observed under the signal-to-noise ratios S/N=400 and 100 at 266 and 248 nm, respectively. Comparisons with the energy transfer of bimolecular collisions in thermal systems and the crossed-beam experiment within detection limit are made.

Generation and characterization of highly vibrationally excited molecular beam

A simple method to generate and characterize a pure highly vibrationally excited azulene molecular beam is demonstrated. Azulene molecules initially excited to the S4 state by 266-nm UV photons reach high vibrationally excited levels of the ground electronic state upon rapid internal conversion from the S4 electronically excited state. VUV laser beams at 157 and 118 nm, respectively, are used to characterize the relative concentrations of the highly vibrationally excited azulene and the rotationally and vibrationally cooled azulene in the molecular beam. With a laser intensity of 34 mJ/cm2, 75% of azulene molecules absorb a single 266-nm photon and become highly vibrationally excited molecules. The remaining ground-state azulene molecules absorb two or more UV photons, ending up either as molecular cations, which are repelled out of the beam by an electric field, or as dissociation fragments, which veer off the molecular-beam axis. No azulene without absorption of UV photons is left in the molecular beam. The molecular beam that contains only highly vibrationally excited molecules and carrier gas is useful in various experiments related to the studies of highly vibrationally excited molecules.

Energy transfer of highly vibrationally excited azulene: Collisions between azulene and krypton

The energy-transfer dynamics between highly vibrationally excited azulene molecules and Kr atoms in a series of collision energies (i.e., relative translational energies 170, 410, and 780 cm(-1)) was studied using a crossed-beam apparatus along with time-sliced velocity map ion imaging techniques. "Hot" azulene (4.66 eV internal energy) was formed via the rapid internal conversion of azulene initially excited to the S4 state by 266-nm photons. The shapes of the collisional energy-transfer probability density functions were measured directly from the scattering results of highly vibrationally excited or hot azulene. At low enough collision energies an azulene-Kr complex was observed, resulting from small amounts of translational to vibrational-rotational (T-VR) energy transfer. T-VR energy transfer was found to be quite efficient. In some instances, nearly all of the translational energy is transferred to vibrational-rotational energy. On the other hand, only a small fraction of vibrational energy is converted to translational energy (V-T). The shapes of V-T energy-transfer probability density functions were best fit by multiexponential functions. We find that substantial amounts of energy are transferred in the backward scattering direction due to supercollisions at high collision energies. The probability for supercollisions, defined arbitrarily as the scattered azulene in the region 160 degrees <theta<180 degrees and DeltaEd>2000 cm(-1) is 1% and 0.3% of all other collisions at collision energies 410 and 780 cm(-1), respectively.

Energy Transfer between Polyatomic Molecules. 3. Energy Transfer Quantities and Probability Density Functions in Self-Collisions of Benzene, Toluene, p-Xylene and Azulene

This paper is the third and last in a series of papers that deal with collisional energy transfer, CET, between aromatic polyatomic molecules. Paper 1 of this series (J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 8310) reports on the mechanism and quantities of CET between an excited benzene and cold benzene and Ar bath. Paper 2 in the series (J. Phys. Chem., in press) discusses CET between excited toluene, p-xylene and azulene with cold benzene and Ar and CET between excited benzene colliding with cold toluene, p-xylene and azulene. The present work reports on CET in self-collisions of benzene, toluene, p-xylene and azulene. Two modes of excitation are considered, identical excitation energies and identical vibrational temperatures for all four molecules. It compares the present results with those of papers 1 and 2 and reports new findings on average vibrational, rotational, and translational energy, <DeltaE>, transferred in a single collision. CET takes place mainly via vibration to vibration energy transfer. The effect of internal rotors on CET is discussed and CET quantities are reported as a function of temperature and excitation energy. It is found that the temperature dependence of CET quantities is unexpected, resembling a parabolic function. The density of vibrational states is reported and its effect on CET is discussed. Energy transfer probability density functions, P(E,E'), for various collision pairs are reported and it is shown that the shape of the curves is convex at low temperatures and can be concave at high temperatures. There is a large supercollision tail at the down wing of P(E,E'). The mechanisms of CET are short, impulsive collisions and long-lived chattering collisions where energy is transferred in a sequence of short internal encounters during the lifetime of the collision complex. The collision complex lifetimes as a function of temperature are reported. It is shown that dynamical effects control CET. A comparison is made with experimental results and it is shown that good agreement is obtained.

Energy Transfer between Polyatomic Molecules. 1. Gateway Modes, Energy Transfer Quantities and Energy Transfer Probability Density Functions in Benzene−Benzene and Ar−Benzene Collisions

We report collisional energy transfer, CET, quantities for polyatomic-polyatomic collisions and use excited benzene collisions with cold benzene bath, B-B, as our sample system and compare our results with the CET of excited benzene with Ar bath. We find that the gateway mode for both systems is the out-of-plane modes and that in B-B CET, vibration to vibration, V-V, is the dominant channel. Rotations play a mechanistic role in the CET but the net rotational energy transfer is small compared to V-V. The shape of the down side of the energy transfer probability density function, P(E,E'), is convex for B-B collisions and it becomes less so as the temperature increases. In Ar-B collisions, P(E,E') is concave and it becomes less so as the temperature decreases. We report average vibrational, rotational, and translational energy transferred, <DeltaE>, as function of temperature for various initial conditions.

Crossed beams and theoretical studies of the dynamics of hyperthermal collisions between Ar and ethane

Crossed molecular beams experiments and classical trajectory calculations have been used to study the dynamics of Ar+ethane collisions at hyperthermal collision energies. Experimental time-of-flight and angular distributions of ethane molecules that scatter into the backward hemisphere (with respect to their original direction in the center-of-mass frame) have been collected. Translational energy distributions, derived from the time-of-flight distributions, reveal that a substantial fraction of the collisions transfer abnormally large amounts of energy to internal excitation of ethane. The flux of the scattered ethane molecules increased only slightly from directly backward scattering to sideways scattering. Theoretical calculations show angular and translational energy distributions which are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results. These calculations have been used to examine the microscopic mechanism for large energy transfer collisions ("supercollisions"). Collinear ("head-on") or perpendicular ("side-on") approaches of Ar to the C-C axis of ethane do not promote energy transfer as much as bent approaches, and collisions in which the H atom is "sandwiched" in a bent Ar...H-C configuration lead to the largest energy transfer. The sensitivity of collisional energy transfer to the intramolecular potential energy of ethane has also been examined.

Temperature Dependence of Collisional Energy Transfer in Highly Excited Aromatics Studied by Classical Trajectory Calculations

The temperature dependence of the gas-phase collisional relaxation of highly vibrationally excited aromatic molecules has been studied using large scale classical trajectory calculations. The investigations have focused on azulene collisions with different colliders (He, Ar and N